Learn Japanese Pod with Ami and Alex
Podcast 24: Booking a table at a restaurant

In this lesson you will learn the following:✓​ How to book a table at a restaurant by phone in Japanese✓​ Learn commonly used polite (Keigo) Japanese vocabulary and phrases
used by restaurant and general service staff

LEVEL: Upper Beginner

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Introduction
In this podcast you will learn how to book a table at a restaurant by phone in natural Japanese.
These days it is easy to make bookings online and with mobiles apps. However, there are still
many restaurants in Japan which don’t have online booking facilities. Also, in crowded cities like
Osaka and Tokyo, it can be hard to get a seat, especially during Fridays and weekends.
Therefore being able to book seats in Japanese by phone is a useful skill.
Another thing you will learn is the polite language commonly used by restaurant and service
staff. This is called ​Keigo​ and is a very polite way of speaking in Japanese. It’s also quite tricky
to master as it uses different phrases and vocabulary compared with casual speech. However, Iwould recommend learning just enough to be able to understand it so you can interact withhotel, restaurant or department store staff. You don’t need to learn to speak it perfectly, justunderstanding a little is enough. Most Japanese people have difficulty speaking proper Keigo!

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Lesson Dialog (Japanese)
Making a restaurant reservation by phoneA:

居酒屋忍者でございます。

B:

今晩の予約をしたいんですが。

A:

はい、かしこまりました。何名様でいらっしゃいますか？

B:

4名でお願いしたいんですが。

A:

何時からご希望ですか？

B:

7時でお願いします。

A:

少々お待ちください。お待たせいたしました。
お席ご用意できます。お名前お伺いしてもよろしでしょうか？

B:

アレックスです。

A:

アレックス様ですね。
では本日7時から4名様でご予約させていただきます。
お待ちしております。

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Lesson Dialog (Pronunciation + English)
Making a restaurant reservation by phoneA:

Izakaya Ninja de gozaimasu.
This is Izakaya Ninja

B:

Konban no yoyaku o shitain desu ga.
I’d like to make a booking for tonight.

A:

Hai, kashikomarimashita. Nanmei sama de irasshimasu ka？
Yes, certainly. How many people are there in your party?

B:

Yonmei de onegai shitain desu ga.
I’d like (to book for) 4 people.

A:

Nanji kara gokibō desu ka.
What time would you like (to book)?

B:

Shichiji de onegai shimasu.
Seven o’clock please.

A:

Shōshō omachi kudasi. Omatasei itashimashita.
Oseki go yōi dekimasu. Onamae oukagai shitemo yoroshi deshou ka.
One moment please. Thank you for waiting
I have prepared your seats. May I have your name please?

B:

Arekkusu desu.
It’s AlexA:

Arekkusu sama desu ne.
Dewa honjitsu shichiji kara yonmei sama de goyoyaku sasete itadakimasu.
Omachi shite orimasu.
OK, so that is Alex.
So, I have prepared your booking for 7pm for 4 people today.
We shall be waiting for you.

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Grammar Breakdown 1 - I’d like to make a booking
The key phrase featured in this podcast is:
こんばん

今晩よやくの予約をしたいんですがTonightofbooking
would like to
I’d like to make a booking for tonight
Here are some useful tips about this phrase1) You can just shorten this to 予約をしたいんですが ​Yoyaku wo shitain desu ga -​ I’d liketo make a booking.
2) If you want to be more specific about when you want to make the reservation you add
when plus の for example:a) Ashita no​ yoyaku wo shitain desu ga - I​ ’d like to make a booking​ for tomorrowb) Kinyō​ bi​ no​ yoyaku wo shitain desu ga - I​ ’d like to make a booking​ for Fridayc) Raishū​ ​ no​ yoyaku wo shitain desu ga - I​ ’d like to make a booking​ for next week3) したいんですが ​Shitain desu ga ​ - is a very common pattern of speech which you canuse to politely say you would like to do something. This comes from the verb ​Shitai
which means you want to do something. This is derived from ​Shitai + no + desu ga​ andis shortened to ​Shitain desu ga​. Use that phrase to sound more natural in Japanese.

Grammar Breakdown 2 - A quick crash course in Keigo
Here is an explanation of the Keigo or polite Japanese phrases used in this lesson. These arephrases you will commonly hear from staff working in hotels, restaurants and shops.
1) ...でございます ...De gozaimasu - It is / This is
Although there are various uses for this phrase it is commonly used when taking calls andstating the name of the place being called. So for example:
居酒屋忍者でございます​ Izakaya Ninja de gozaimasu​ - This is Izakaya Ninja.
A slightly less formal way of saying ​De gozaimasu ​ is ​ Desu.

Learn Japanese Pod2) かしこまりました ​Kashikomarimashita​ - Certainly
It’s common for people taking orders to say ​Kashikomarimashita.​ It loosely translates as“certainly” or “Sure”.
3) 何名様でいらっしゃいますか ​Nanmei sama de irasshaimasu ka​ - For how many people?
When studying Japanese it is common to learn 何人がいますか ​Nannin ga imasu ka -​ Howmany people are there? However when booking a table at a restaurant the counter 名 ​Mei​ isoften used. So ​Nannin desu ka​ can be made more polite by saying ​Nanmei desu ka. ​It can bemade even more polite by saying ​Nanmei de irasshaimasu ka.
4) Different levels of politeness with the verb 待つ ​Matsu​ to wait
Here are some examples of casual and polite ways to use the verb ​Matsu​ - To wait
You’ll more commonly hear the polite phrases when visiting a restaurant (in the table below)
CasualPolite (Keigo)

ちょっと待ってね
Chotto matte ne
Just a second

少々お待ちくださいShō​ shō omachi kudasai
Please wait a moment

待たせてごめんねMatasete gomen ne
Sorry for the wait

お待たせいたしました
Omatase itashimashita
I’m sorry to have kept you waiting5) 様 Sama - Polite phrase when referring to a customer.
Here are some levels of you would use when addressing someone:
あきらくん
Akira Kun (Friendly for males and young boys)
明子ちゃん
Akiko Chan (Friendly for females and young girls)
田中さん
Tanaka San (Polite, both male and female)
田中様
Tanaka Sama (Very polite, used by service industry staff)

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